Daniel Stendel and his players were delighted that they ‘went rampant’ in a 3-0 win at Plymouth Argyle on Easter Monday. 

The Reds scored three goals between 15 and 28 minutes through Cauley Woodrow, Jacob Brown and Alex Mowatt.  Head coach Stendel said: “We did not start so good but, after a very good goal for Cauley Woodrow, we controlled the game. We scored three and had a lot of chances to score more. Plymouth only had one chance and we got another clean sheet.

“We had four chances and scored three times in the first 25 minutes then it was very difficult for Plymouth to come back. Then we were good in possession and defended like a top team.” 

Stendel was delighted with the 950 fans at Home Park, while their reaction following the final whistle told him that Peterborough United had scored a late equaliser against the Reds’ promotion rivals Sunderland. That leaves Barnsley four points clear of the fourth-placed Black Cats and two ahead of third-placed Portsmouth, with both those sides having a game in hand on the second-placed Reds.

“We had great support. We had a lot of supporters in our team hotel and I knew a lot of people were coming to the game. It is great to see so many for a 600-mile trip. I am very proud of them.

“The result from Peterborough is good for us so I am very happy.  Our supporters celebrated and I thought ‘OK maybe this is a good result for us.’ Portsmouth have all the chances and Sunderland also have chances. We can only play our games and if we win them we have a big chance of automatic promotion.”

Woodrow scored the first goal. He said: “It was a very well-deserved win. We played really well. We took our chances in the first half then we saw the game out in the second half. Their ‘keeper turned up and made some really good saves but 3-0 was good enough. We’re focusing on our own results but it was an extra boost that Sunderland didn’t win.”

Woodrow’s opener came courtesy of a defence-splitting pass by teenage right-back Jordan Williams, who has broken into the team in recent weeks. Woodrow said: “It was a fantastic ball from Jordan. He’s come into the side and been outstanding for us. All I had to do was chest it down and finish it. I was delighted.” 

Williams added: “It was a good ball but Cauley still has to put it away and I definitely thought he would. I just saw Cauley make a run off the back of a defender and I thought ‘I’ll just put this in behind’.”

The 19-year-old was pleased with the trip to Devon. He said: “It couldn’t have gone much better. We got the first goal then went rampant and could have scored more but their ‘keeper pulled off a good few saves. We were in cruise control. It was a good away performance. We gave Shrewsbury a lot of chances in the last game but we were more solid in this game.”